Amazon and Diane von Furstenberg’s Echo Dot makes invasive smart home tech chic

Last we checked in on Amazon’s Day 1 Editions series, Build It, the people had spoken and demanded that the world most certainly needed a... uh... smart sticky note thermal printer that cost $115. The company’s newest round of choices is certainly more useful (we can’t think of something that wouldn’t be, to be honest), but it also ramps up the “privacy invasiveness” factor a few notches — a trio of 4th-generation Echo Dots featuring paint jobs designed by fashion icon, Diane von Furstenberg.

Hey, at least it’ll look kind of chic while creepily uploading your baby’s sleep habits into the cloud. Check out the three designs below for a better look at the offering.

One of these is definitely getting made — Unlike past Build It rounds, Amazon isn’t offering three distinct products to decide between; this time, voters can instead pick between one of three Echo Dot paint jobs designed by von Furstenberg herself.

So, basically, Amazon is committed to making one of these hideous things a reality, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Options include the above “Ikat” edition, along with the “Midnight Kiss” and “Twigs” patterns seen below. Choose wisely... or don’t, if you would prefer this not to happen.

Not the first cutesy spin on data harvesting from Amazon — Almost a year ago, Jeff Bezos and company announced a similar attempt at weaseling Alexa into your home via bright colors and focus-tested patterns. The “child-friendly” Echo Dots featured adorable tiger and panda designs for the tots who want their every move monitored by smart AI, a bold and ironic choice on Amazon’s part, given how both species are extremely endangered thanks in no small part to companies like Amazon’s haphazard waste habits.

Consumers have until August 13 to pre-order the fashion-forward Echo Dot of their choice. If any of the options don’t meet their funding goals, they won’t get made and buyers will be issued a full refund. Amazon also notes that to celebrate, the company will make some kind of donation to Vital Voices, a “non-profit chosen by Diane von Furstenberg which invests in women leaders tackling the world’s greatest challenges.” So at least there’s that, we guess.